Who is Controlling You?

The great African American novelist Charles W. Chestnutt once offered this interesting opinion that is truly food for thought as this new year and new decade dawns, he wrote: 

"We are all puppets in the hands of fate and seldom see the strings that move us."

I hate to think of myself as a "puppet" especially in light of all the self help resources that are available to nurture my mind and challenge me to lead a life that matters.  But there are some responsibilities that drive a great deal of what I do in my life.

How about you?  Do you feel fully in control of all the circumstances in your life right now?  I am frequently with folks who have taken ill or had some other traumatic event take place in their life.  Some of them have talked about how surprised they were to have to face their illness or trauma.  Yet, when pressed they could tell of warning signs or ways they were living that might have led to the very illness or trauma they were facing.

I was reminded of the kind of dedication to the unknown our soldiers face at a recent event with one of my favorite World War II veterans.  He could joke about the paths his life had taken before, during, and after the war as he reflected about it.  But it also seemed to me that he mastered the art of living fully in the moment, somehow.

If we can live fully in the moment in this new year maybe we can shake some of those unknown forces trying to control us and turn us into puppets.  Maybe we'll truly be able to make up our own minds about living green, losing the pounds and loving our friends, lovers, and family members in the ways that will really matter.

A wise sage wrote of "a time for every season under the sun" in the 3rd chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes in the Hebrew Scriptures.  Day by day I'm finding that book of the Bible a bigger and bigger gift!

Consider who and what is controlling you as this new year begins.  Live each moment out loud, fully, expressively, and joyfully!  Make this new year and this new decade brighter and better as you move along in it!   Keep striving for higher ground!

Be Careful of Your Next Adjustment

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. inspired me with his stand for peace, his witness for justice and his commitment to non-violence.  I must admit that one of my favorite quotes of his was this one,

Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted.

We live in need of constant adjustments.  Our eyes adjust from darkness to light.  Our feet adjust to different surfaces as our bodies encounter them.  We adjust what we wear according to the weather.

For me as a Christian this is the time of year when we really focus in on salvation.  The celebration of Christmas is all about God's creative act in sending Jesus to earth to live, to minister and to die. 

But an urgent call I got recently reminded me that the work of salvation is undone until everyone is free to live fully.  A counselor called from one of our locally run groups for the developmentally disabled.  She called to see if there was anything some of the developmentally disabled adults could volunteer to work on in my church.

Before I could answer her she said she had called more than twenty churches asking whether or not there was something in those churches the volunteers she works with could do.  She encountered one, "no" after another. 

It seems that even in this special time of the year there are still some hearts that are frozen cold.  Have we done what we could to reach out the those who are physically or mentally less abled?

Have we sought salvation not just for ourselves but also for those who are still discrimated against, even today?  Dr. King's word rings out in my mind again.  We are called to be 'creatively maladjusted.'

Let's not adjust to injustice, to malice and meanness, to hurt and heartache.  Let's make this a season where we creatively reach out to the ones in our midst who deserve our attention, our care and our involvement.

Don't Make the Cash Cow Moo!

This holiday season can bless you if you let it.  I have often gotten to December feeling depleted and sometimes even dejected.  I've often seen the holiday season as something to get through with too many things to do.  Mid-life won't let me continue down this perilous path.

I want to spend less, worship fully and enjoy my family and friends.  I'm not basing my happiness on how much I spend or, "make the cash cow moo!"

This year I'm trying some new things, some simpler, less expensive things.  I was grateful to read an old blog of Rev. Dr. Todd Bolsinger, who used this video a few years ago with his congregation.   I want to encourage you to take a look at the 2009 version and let it rock your world! Watch this and see what God might be calling you to do next!    www.adventconspiracy.org



                                                                    
 

Get a Life....a Prayer Life!

I've got one more post about this Tiger Woods fiasco.  I promise that after this I'm going to take my own advice and 'leave Tiger Woods alone!'   He just opened a door so widely in one of his public statements that I cannot let it go.

Tiger said, "Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn't have to mean public confessions."  I like this statement very much.  Yet, at the same time I'm reminded of that powerful scene from the movie, The Godfather Part III where Michael Corleone confesses his many sins before the preist after almost going into a diabetic coma.  It was as though his confessions helped him deal with his many sins so that his inner turmoil would not eat him alive.

Press releases and public confessions aren't really necessary, it's true Mr. Woods.  But here is one of the chief reasons why an active prayer life between us and God is necessary, helpful and something to treasure.

God forgives. I also hope that forgiveness flows through families. I hope that ongoing grudges and claims made by one family member to another that they will 'never forgive' in this situation or that situation will not be the chief end of any issue.

One of the great truths of folks of faith and good will is that we all know that one day we all will stand in need of forgiveness for something. An active prayer life is an outstanding place to converse with God about our personal sins, our shortcomings and the times we miss the mark.

On the internet there is a place where you can get some answers to questions you might have about prayer.  Its:  www.allaboutprayer.org   Visit the site for answers to questions you might have about daily personal prayer, family prayer and gaining greater intimacy with God.  I'd love to know if you've started or re-started your prayer life recently.  Leave me a comment and may your active prayer life bless you!

Leave Tiger Woods Alone!

The news of the 2009 Thanksgiving holiday weekend concerning the world's number one golfer Tiger Woods caught me by surprise.  But scrolling through some of the speculation about his auto accident made me stop and think about our celebrity culture with over zealous reporters and people out there willing to just say anything to ride the headline!  

British tabloids are often the harshest critics and speculators!  As for me, my hope is that we will all leave Tiger Woods alone to work out whatever happened behind the scenes.  In a long past era, one of the great African American boxing champions, Jack Johnson was quoted as saying:

            "I know the bitterness of being accused and harassed by prosecutors.  I know the horror of

             being hunted and haunted.  I have dashed across continents and oceans as a fugitive, and have

             matched my wits with the police and secret agents seeking to deprive me of one of the greatest

             blessings man can have - liberty."

I'm not saying that Tiger's case is anywhere near as serious as some of the things that Jack Johnson went through in his tumultuous boxing career.

But give Tiger the chance to heal from his injuries in the accident and give him the freedom to work out whatever needs to be worked out......in peace!  Take a deep breath people!

The Sad Story of Shaniya Davis Should Shake Us to the Core

"Innocent until proven guilty" is an axiom we apply in our criminal justice system.  But the case of 5 year old Shaniya Davis is one of the saddest I've heard about in a long time.  I attended the National Council of Churches of Christ General Assembly held in Denver in 2008 and learned about the horrific problem of human trafficking in our world today.  Folks at the PolarisProject.org report that, "over 200,000 children in the United States are at high risk for human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation."

It is Shaniya's mom, Antoinette Davis, who stands accused of starting the chain of events that led to Shaniya's eventual death.

Human trafficking is one of the greatest tragedies of our world today.  It happens under the radar screen of the things that often hold our attention.  But for people of faith, good will and good conscience there is an organization that is working on this and they deserve and very much need our help.  Click on the PolarisProject.org and see how you can help stop human trafficking problems in the future.  It would be great if no other 5 year olds like Shaniya would ever have to die again. 

Want Spiritual Uplift? Try This!

So there I was sitting in front of the television one evening recently surfing through the channels trying to find something to watch. I stumbled onto CNN and a special show on their effort to name their 2009 Hero or maybe "She-ro" of the year. A racially and culturally diverse set of ten finalists each has a story that is sure to inspire you!

From wheelchairs provided to kids in Iraq to homeless veterans being helped in Florida I was inspired. There was the story of wine sold in America so that water can be provided to folks in developing countries and a door to door appeal to encourage women to take care of their breast health.

In Zimbabwe there is a program to aid sexual abuse survivors and hot food, coffee and goodwill provided to homeless folks in Queens, New York. There is a Filipino teen who is getting other Filipino teens to consider alternatives to gang life and an orphanage in the home of a couple in Indonesia.

There is a drummer in New Orleans who is helping kids after school choose music rather than trouble and help for amputees all over the United States from a young amputee who lives in a city I used to live in, Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Please learn the names of the ten people responsible for these inspiring acts of courage and, if you can, vote for just one. You will surely be uplifted for your effort! Just click on this link and learn more: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/